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Out-patients Beware of New Parking System at IJN

30 May, 2007

We’re proud to admit

we’re a LITTLE different.

While other operators rely on market demand to fill car parks, we make it happen by following a unique and flexible system that draws out the maximum opportunity from every site. The entire car park is an opportunity; not just the dedicated parking bays.We call our holistic view the Secure System.

It’s the result of a ‘hands on’ management approach from a company committed to creative innovation.

Indeed they are a little different. However their difference must reflect integrity as well. Why? Here my story for the day.

Today 29th May 2007, I just came back from Institut Jantung Negara (IJN) to collect my second supply of medicine that would last me for next 3 months before fulfilling the next appointment with the heart specialist there. Right, there is nothing unusual about that.

But what I experienced at the parking bay is something unusual. As I drove in into the parking bay I noticed that the parking system was totally changed. When I punched the parking ticket button out came a blue plastic coin with nothing on it. This must be very sophisticated, I thought. But with the chip how do I know what time I punched the button? Would anybody care to take note of the time? I don’t know? Perhaps, like I do, everybody would expect a parking ticket would come out of the ticket slot but no it was a stupid looking round blue plastic coin. Whatever, I just collect it and put in my car’s cigarette ashtray (never been used for ashtray purposes) to be used later to pay for the parking charges.

As usual I went to register at the appointment counter for the staff to process my application to collect my medicine. While doing so I asked the receptionist since when the parking system had changed to the new system. I was told it was just last week. As an out- patient we are given 50% discount for the parking charges. A sticker would be issued by IJN to be pasted to the parking ticket but this time I had to hold it and later show it to the parking attendant together with the plastic coin at the parking booth for the payment process. Other normal visitors would have to settle their payment through the auto-pay machine.

For IJN patients, they would have to settle their payment process at the parking booth where they have to surrender the plastic coin together with their sticker, only then the plastic coin would be given back to the patient for it to be inserted into the auto-pay machine for the final process. However it did not happen the way it should be.

I surrendered the sticker together with the plastic coin. He placed the coin over a gadget and demanded RM2.00 for the parking charges. And I paid. He then gave me the coin to have it inserted into the auto-pay machine for the final process. I was wondering why RM2.00 as it was less than an hour I was at IJN.

Upon reaching home I later called Secure Parking Corporation Sdn Bhd., the company that manages the parking lot, with regard to the incident. I was referred to one field officer. After narrating to the field supervisor I was eventually made to know that the parking attendant had actually committed fraud. He told me that I should be paying through the auto-pay machine and not to the parking attendant. Imagine how many out-patients making use of the parking facility have been cheated today.

So you see for those out-patients who are not familiar with the new system, they should be careful not to be cheated by the parking attendant stationed at the parking office.

To get your 50% discount for your parking charges you only have to hand over your sticker and the plastic coin to be processed by the attendant through a special gadget meant for that purpose. Then when you are handed over the plastic coin make your payment at the auto-pay machine. You should not pay to the parking attendant. At the auto-pay machine a receipt will be issued by the machine showing all the particulars of your parking.

I am IJN staff responsible for public parking in IJN. Firstly I on behalf of IJN would like to apologize for the incident that you have faced on 29th May 2007. Based on your report myself together with the outsourced parking operator have investigated the matter and we found that it is true that one of the staff is asking money from our customer.

Based on our investigation we have asked the outsourced parking operator to terminate the service of the said staff with immediate effect.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the useful information which if prolonged and no action taken will tarnish our reputation. With the action we hope that such incudent does not recur.

One more thing that I missed is that regarding the chip coin used. It is true that we cannot see the time of parking on the chip coin but when we make payment all data such as time in & time out will be printed. Furthermore the machine is subject to calibration by the authority.

Thank you En Mohd Aznan for taking the prompt action with regard to the issue. Your action would certainly have saved IJN’s name from being tarnished.
Your action also have saved other out-patients from becoming victims of the unscrupulous staff of the parking company.
I also would like to thank Secure Parking for sincerely looking into to the case seriously and had taken the proper action to save all parties from embarrassment.